Self-propelled, wheeled, multi-purpose vehicles are old and well known in the art. Such vehicles were originally designed to perform a variety of tasks that were commonly handled by cranes, hoists, tractors, trailers, and other specialized equipment. Such vehicles most often take the form of a steerable, wheeled chassis that is equipped with a boom that can be raised, extended and/or retracted. The end of the boom may be provided with one or more attachments, such as a pallet fork, a basket, bucket, etc. as the situation arises. These vehicles are typically used at construction sites and/or other off-road areas, where the ground upon which they traverse has not been surfaced or otherwise prepared. Often, the ground is not capable of supporting the weight of the self-propelled tire or wheel supported and they can become mired and/or lose traction. If the vehicle becomes mired or stuck, it is unable to be productive. If the vehicle cannot be extricated by the driver, additional equipment and personnel will have to be drawn away from other projects to provide assistance. If a vehicle was carrying a load at the time, the remedy becomes more complicated. Loads can shift and fall. In addition, a repositioned load can change the location of the center of gravity so that it and the vehicle are in an unstable position.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing, therefore, that prior art self-propelled wheeled vehicles present problems that are in need of solutions and there is a need for a vehicle that is able to be used in conditions that would not otherwise be possible.